Weather in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai weather has minimal impact on when you should visit. To help you decide when to come, we give you the following background.

Meteorologically speaking, it is always summer here.

This summer is divided into three seasons: cool/dry, hot/dry, and warm/rainy. Like museums, restaurants, craft and temples, most vegetables and trees here can be admired all year round.

 

The Cool Season, from November to February, is the most popular tourist season, since it is the coldest time of the year in northern Eurasia and North America.

However, hotel prices are top high and you may find some popular restaurants and attractions overcrowded.

The Chiangmai climate is rather pleasant this time of the year; the risk of rain is very low and some species are in beautiful blossom, such as Congea and Cochlospermum (January), Rhododendron and Cassia bakeriana at Doi Inthanon (mid February).

 

The Flowering Season lasts from March to May.

In April, you may see the exquisite Thai national tree, Cassia fistula, in majestic, golden blossom, and pick fruits of Strychnos nux-vomica.  In April, we celebrate Songkran for several days, i.e. splashing water on everything that moves, very funny! This is also the time of the mouthwatering mango season and you can admire local flowers like Afzelia xylocarpa and Crateva adansonii.

In May you can experience the fantastic Siamese tulips, the Curcumas, in blossom as well as other gingers and orchids.

The Green Season lasts from June to October. In the late hot season and early rainy season, butterflies reach their peak in numbers.              The Golden Birdwing butterfly is aorund from late May until early September.

During the rainy season, the country is covered in various shades of emerald green, and western expatriates here believe this is the prettiest time of the year.

This is, of course, the season of wild mushrooms, colourful and strange in shape, which are picked, cooked and enjoyed by locals.

You may see Mussaenda kerrii in blossom and lovely green rice fields.

Hotel prices are lower due to low tourist season.

As for rain, our experience is that the rains come in the late afternoon/evening. In any case, tropical rains are not cold.                      

In October the rains are less frequent, but occasional storms may occur.

Gratefully extracted from Dokmai Garden’s website:

http://www.dokmaigarden.co.th/weather.php